Genius Doctor Black Belly Miss: Black is the Color of Lust
by NoobScribe24
Summary: The secret of the Emperor did not matter to her. To Qu Ling Yue, the Emperor was just Jun Xie, the "young man" who had protected her and plucked her from the abyss of desperation and despair time and time again. "His Highness" was her benefactor and her savior, and knowing the truth behind his enigma did not stop the feelings from escaping and casting light onto her darkness.
1. Awakening

Black is the Color of Lust

(A Genius Doctor Black Belly Miss Fanfiction)

The sinister darkness envelops her being as the overwhelming smell hangs in the air; it is the mixture of her own blood and sweat, intermingling with the musky scent that is both familiar and unfamiliar.

She feels warm drips on her cheek, and in the darkness, she is unable to see whether the warm drips are her tears, blood or sweat. She attempts to wipe them away, but feels the cold and heavy iron cuffs attached to chains that bind her to the bed. In an instant, panic begins to flare within and she sobs, as the horrifying voices of men begin to surround her.

"No…" she attempts to plead with them, yet in her nightmares, they have no eyes or ears or noses. Their eyes never see the wounds both on her and in her. Their ears never hear her anguished pleas. And their noses never detect the scent of her despair.

"Yes," their mouths utter, making guttural moans. In her nightmares, they are creatures only with mouths and hands and organs that continue to plunder her mercilessly, night after night, as soon as she closes her eyes. In the world of dreams and nightmares, she is not the Iron Empress. She loses the clarity, calm and sense of self that had been preciously gifted to her by her most important person. She becomes nothing but dirt and defilement.

"No!" she shouts again, full of desperation. Her consciousness seemingly hears her torment, and she begins to feel a warmth on her chest this time as her eyes are forced open, stabbed by a bright light.

-0-0-0-

"Meow," a sound is heard, seemingly right on top of her. Daylight surrounded her as she opened her eyes and her maidservant opened the curtains of her bedchambers. The sound came from a little black cat, sitting right on her chest. The cat seemed to be any regular cat at first glance, but upon closer inspection, a golden necklace-like pattern could be seen around its neck. As she looked at the cat, it stared right back at her, almost as if to say, "About time. What kind of ruler stays in bed until the sun is high up, ah?"

Qu Ling Yue immediately tried to get up the bed at the same time that the black cat nimbly jumped off of her chest onto the floor and leisurely walked out of site. "Has your highness arrived?", she asked the maidservant, her voice barely able to hide the tinge of happiness and excitement.

"Yes, Your Highness. His Highness the Emperor arrived late in the night and you were already within your bedchambers. He had ordered us not to go to you as there was no need for us to wake you up," reported the maidservant as her head was bowed respectfully.

The maids in the Imperial Palace of the Fire Country had long observed that their Emperor had a cold and aloof personality, even to his wife, their Empress. However, they did notice that whenever he arrived from whichever place he had been off to, he would always see the Empress first and would stay shut in the imperial study with her to talk to her before busying himself with other affairs. Despite his cold demeanor however, his subjects knew that their Emperor will always protect their country and the people, especially the people close to his side. It was also very much certain that, despite his seeming nonchalance, his Empress had a deep care for him.

Her impress, the maidservant sighed. Whenever His Highness was around, her Empress often seemed to be floating with her mind somewhere, with a smile that precious few were able to see. As she thought herself lucky to be able to see that smile, she quickly gave a reminder to Her Highness regarding the bath she prepared and the clothes that have been set out for her. Appearing to snap out of her reverie, the Empress quickly got off the bed, her fair yet scarred skin slipping away from under the covers as the maidservant shyly averted her eyes.

Having served under her for close to a year, the maidservant was slightly aware of the origins behind their quiet Empress. The maidservant knew that she hailed from the Thousand Beasts Clans and that she was the accomplished daughter of the clan chief. Before she came to the Fire Country, the Empress was already quite a bit known as a talented youngster from the War Banner Academy and she had decent skills in combat due to her above spirit powers. Beyond that, she had never found out about anything else about the Empress' background. Well, there were those rumors, but… The maidservant shook her head. She must not disrespect her Highness with inappropriate musings such as this. She began to straighten the bed and whistled a soft tune as she worked.

The whisper of soft melodies reached Qu Ling Yue as she lay immersed in the warm water of the tub. She sighed as she laid back, feeling like she was melting from the warmth and comfort. She was now Empress Ling Yue of the Fire Country, waited upon by countless servants. She was called the Iron Empress by her people, who at first were hesitant to accept her as Fire Country's own, being a complete outsider. If people told her she would be like this during the dark times in that dreaded dungeon, she would have received it as some sort of torment that would only drive her to harbor wishful thinking.

And yet, her "husband" had made it possible, and she now ruled the Fire Country by "his" side. She sighed again, a much deeper sigh this time that had nothing to do with the water. Knowing the tremendous secret behind "His" Highness had failed to stop her miserable little heart from beating a rhythm that she knew was sadly never going to me matched. That was because…

Knock! Knock! Qu Ling Yue jerked up from the water, almost immersing her whole body in it as her elbows slipped. "Your Highness, His Highness the Emperor has heard that you were awake and requests your presence in the Imperial Study," her maidservant announced.

Qu Ling Yue quickly yet carefully got up from the tub and answered, "Alright, I will be right out." It was hopeless, she chuckled wryly as she dried herself, catching herself in another flight of fancy. Her maidservant helped her dress up in resplendent red robes, a golden phoenix pattern embroidered gracefully around the robe. Its wings were embroidered on both sleeves and Qu Ling Yue had the distinct illusion that she was a flaming bird about to take flight as she walked. Oblivious to the admiring gazes of her servants, the Iron Empress walked slowly on the hallway unimpeded until she reached the door to "his" study.

Qu Ling Yue heard a soft "Come in," even as she was about to knock. That voice, although muffled by the door, caused her already trembling heart to beat double time and she struggled to compose herself anew, and looked around her before she opened the door. She quickly shut and locked it after stepping inside, keeping her head bowed as she turned to face "him".

"The Empress greets His Highness," she said respectfully, keeping her gaze on the floor and only able to see the front side of the Emperor's writing desk.

"Raise your head," he ordered almost callously and without preamble, as per usual. Those who never talked to the Emperor would think that he did not care in the slightest about "his wife". However, it was just that he detested rules of formality such as royal greetings and preferred to directly go straight to the conversation. Qu Ling Yue smiled as she raised her chin to look at her "husband" for the first time in over a year.

The first thing she noticed were "his" unchanging eyes, silvery grey with unfathomable depths. They could be as cool and bottomless as a deep lake under the dark grey clouds in one instance or overwhelmingly vicious and merciless the next. Today, "he" simply looked at her expressionlessly, with a tinge of appraisement in those eyes.

"It seems that you have grown once again, Your Highness," Qu Ling Yue commented as she sat down on the seat in front of "him", almost akin to a student presenting herself before her revered master. She could feel a different kind of strength around "him". It was not the same aura that "His Highness" had before "he" abruptly left right before "his" proclamation to the throne.

"Hmm", he replied carelessly, and within that sound, Qu Ling Yue could almost hear "him" say, "You're not that bad yourself, either." It was true that Qu Ling Yue was also able to cultivate herself from the yellow spirit to the orange spirit. Right before His Highness made that trip, she had been close to a breakthrough to the orange spirit and she would have been able to do that earlier, if not for what had happened to her. Her eyes darkened as unwanted images began to swim in her vision.

The Emperor noticed her eyes dim and he raised his eyebrows slightly. "Something?" he asked, choosing to stick to monosyllable questions, as per usual.

Qu Ling Yue shook her head, a little annoyed that she was unable to hold her emotions in check. It always seemed to be like this, almost as if she and her entire being remained open to "his" perusal whenever she was in front of "him". "Your highness has succeeded in your travels?" she asked instead, keen to change the subject and get away from "his" slight interrogation.

"Hmm," he repeated as he nodded in agreement, while keeping his gaze trained on Qu Ling Yue's bashful countenance. "How is the current situation regarding the Condor country's dissolution?" asked the Emperor instead. And just like that, Qu Ling Yue was able to relax as she focused on delivering a full report regarding the goings on in the Fir Country and its neighboring regions during the Emperor's last absence.

Author's Note:

My first fic has finally been posted after summoning up all that I have to press that little "publish" button. :'D I would appreciate your reviews. if you haven't read Genius Doctor Black Belly Miss, please do! :D


	2. Unwilling

She is tired, so very tired. Filth clings to her as she walks, enveloped by a seemingly endless darkness. Suddenly, she saw light appear like a pool of water somewhat away from her. Hope rises up within as she attempts to walk forwards towards the light.

As she nears it however, she sees a figure of a young man's back. She shrinks away at first, but there is something so familiar with that back that she isn't able to stop herself from inching closer. Once she is a few steps away, she detects a faint smell of herbs. It is so comforting that she unconsciously sighs, which draws the attention of the young man who turns to her in a manner that is neither too slow or fast.

Ling Yue gasps as she sees the familiar countenance, and her hand that was raised up to tap the stranger halts in mid air.

"Ju.. Jun Xie.." she stutters as the young man looks at her. He appears to lift up a hand to reach out which makes Ling Yue resume her own hand's movement towards the young man's hand.

Before she is able to touch however, dark hands grab her shoulders, her waist and her ankles. A horrible stench surrounds her as she hears whispers that makes her blood freeze and her eyes shut tight.

"Filthy whore, you are ours! You will never, ever deserve a man like that!" they chant in her head.

"What makes you think you are even fit to carry his shoes?" says another whose hands latch at her neck.

She feels a horrible cold and wet sensation on her chin as a dark hand tilts it forcefully to the side. She smells the stench of another mouth's breath on her face as she hears the words that has caused her to curl upon herself many times. "You are tainted. You are dirty. You are nothing." Her mouth is covered without warning and a tongue plunges into it forcefully.

"No!"

-0-0-0-

Ling Yue gasps as she sits up, panting and shivering. She clutches the covers and sobs uncontrollably. She blames herself for losing all control and feeling so defenseless while asleep. It has been harder and harder to sleep undisturbed lately, and she has wondered whether it was because she was tired from working nonstop since the reigns of the fire country were handed down to her. She sobbed once again. She did not want to let Jun Xie down. She did not want to fail that trust. But why must she be so weak?

Her hand clenched on the sheets tighter and she bit a corner of the bedsheet to stop herself from crying out. She was so caught up in her misery that she never noticed the presence of a person sitting near the tea table a few paces from the bed. The person's figure was further hidden in the shadows of a moonless night.

Unseen in the darkness, this person's forehead furrows into a knot as Ling Yue's sobbing becomes more restrained. The figure stands up and noiselessly approaches the dragon bed. The Empress detects a subtle shift in the spirit energies towards her right and subconsciously turns her head. A sob catches in her throat and she tenses as she notices a person closing in on her side of the bed.

"Wh.." her startled words never come as she feels a cool hand on her forehead and she closes her eyes without meaning to. Her eyes fly open as this hand moves to her cheeks and jawline as another hand is felt, both cradling her face. A light from a nearby candle suddenly blazes and she finds herself staring back into cool gray eyes.

"Your Highness..." she whispers, and Ling Yue realizes how much of a blunder she has shown in front of her person. Jun Xie isn't supposed to see her like this. "He" shouldn't worry about her while "he" handles whatever business needs to be handled outside of the kingdom. She fights with everything she has to not say the words that threaten to come out of her mouth, but it comes anyway, like an unstoppable torrent. "Your Highness... I'm sorry," she cries out in a low voice as she sobs into "his" hand. Ling Yue feels the hands tense momentarily, almost imperceptibly. One of these hands move upwards to stroke the top of her head almost clumsily in an attempt to comfort her. Ling Yue almost smiles in spite of herself.

"Why?" her clueless benefactor asks, not understanding that her Iron Bloodied Empress had seemingly reverted back to those bleak days in Thousand Beast City. In response, Ling Yue just closes her eyes, looking like she is savoring the uninterrupted stroking of her hair.

The Emperor, although "he" has yet to realize why Ling Yue is acting this way, knows that what is bothering her is more than something simple .

"We will speak of this in the morning. Try to get some more sleep," words tinged with warmth floats into her ears, almost lulling her back to sleep. However, Qu Ling Yue was unwilling.

"I'm scared," she answers softly. "I don't want to go back to sleep," she added almost desperately.

Ling Yue then hears something that is akin to having her most cherished person draping a warm blanket around her.

"Don't be. I won't leave you."

Ling Yue sighs once again, this time in relief. In a few moments, she falls back into a dreamless slumber as deep as the night.

-0-0-0-

Once Ling Yue's breath evened out, the Emperor rose soundlessly off the bed and walked towards the courtyard, closing the door silently. "He" walks towards the middle of the courtyard where a hibiscus tree stands beside a still pond full of lotus in full bloom. Even as "he" walked distractedly, a presence materializes under the tree. The figure belonged to a man whose facial features could only be described as those of a deity. Although this man appeared to be leisurely standing under the tree, his eyes glowed a mezmerizing purple hue. Yet such eyes would have caused terror to thise who really knew who those eyes belonged to.

Sensing the almost turbulent presence, the Emperor looks up and "his" eyes widen a little but "he" does not stop walking towards the man under the tree. The man looks down at the petite body in front of him and wraps this body almost roughly within his embrace.

"Little Xie, you really are too kind. If that girl is in such a misery, I could help her by ending her little life. There is no need for you to disturb your rest," the man haughtily stated, the gleam in his eyes betraying a murderous intent.

The petite frame tries to push away the terrifying man's chest and in seeming exasperation stated, "I am partly to blame for how she is now." She leads the man to sit on a stone bench beside the pond, her soft sigh is heard as she pulls her disguise off of her face and places it beside her. The man beside her looked on in obvious veneration. No matter how many times he had seen this face, he would never tire of her beauty, of the facial features that would be enough to bring down nations.

This was the Emperor's real countenance. She was actually Jun Wu Xie, the young lass from the Jun Family of the tiny Qi Kingdom. Her prowess in battle strategies and genius in medicine was unmatched and never before seen in the Lower Realm and her unique personality has attracted this powerful and terrifying man to latch onto her.

"Why do you get angry when I try to help Ling Yue?" Wu Xie asked the man in front of her, her head tilting slightly to the side in slight confusion.

The man laughed as he said, "Nothing much. Your big brother just doesn't want you getting yourself tired for someone you can do without." The answer was cold and cruel but was almost tempered by the fact that it was said by the man in a calm voice and with a smiling face, with only a slight flash of violet betraying the quick sense of murder in his unwilling eyes.

Wu Xie was still a little confused and the black cat which was quietly hidden away as part of her soul decided to help her mistress out a little. "The demon seems to be jealous of the Empress," the cat almost giggled, glad that the man in front of him couldn't hear his thoughts. The black cat knew more than anyone else besides Jun Wu Xie that this "big brother" identity was just this demonic man's illusion. He also knew that the demon had designs on his mistress and always lamented that his mistress was always too inexperienced or dense to notice.

Hearing this, Wu Xie had a sudden realization which led her to smirk slightly. This time, it was her big brother's turn to slightly widen his eyes.

"I've told you before. Qu Ling Yue is a girl. I am a girl. Nothing will come out of this marriage." Jun Wu Xie smiled as she looked up at his expressionless eyes. Although expecting some kind of retaliation, Jun Wu Xie did not expect her big brother's hand firmly grabbing her chin, tilting it up and his hansome face swooping down all of a sudden.


End file.
